ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

A global effort to make genetic studies more diverse has led to a discovery about Parkinson's disease, a common brain disorder that can impair a person's ability to move and speak. ... The finding, published in August in The Lancet Neurology, suggests that Parkinson's may work differently in people of African, rather than European, descent. It could eventually help scientists develop a treatment specifically for people with this particular gene variant. (Hamilton, 9/24)

Every day, more than 4.2 million children receive nutritious food and snacks through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), a federally funded, state-administered initiative that reimburses child-care centers and home day cares for providing food to eligible kids. A new analysis suggests the program positively affects not just children but also their families, tying subsidized child-care meals to better child health and lower rates of household food insecurity. (Blakemore, 9/24)

Research shows that there are many benefits to napping. Short naps can boost mental functioning and memory, as well as improve alertness, attention, and reaction time. Short naps are also linked to increased productivity and creativity. Because napping seems to improve creative thinking, some companies have attempted to harness this by introducing napping rooms into the workplace. (Bender, 9/24)

Pregnant or breastfeeding women who consume diet soda or other foods and drinks containing aspartame could experience higher rates of autism diagnoses in their sons, a new study has revealed. "Our study does not prove causality — it does not prove that maternal intake of diet sodas, and aspartame specifically, during pregnancy or nursing increases a child’s risk of autism — but it does raise a major warning flag," said lead author Sharon Parten Fowler, PhD, adjunct assistant professor of medicine at UT Health San Antonio, in an interview with Fox News Digital. (Rudy, 9/24)

A comparative-effectiveness study that spanned the dominance of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) finds that the antiviral drug remdesivir (Veklury) significantly reduced in-hospital COVID-19 death rates among adults receiving supplemental oxygen on admission. The study, led by researchers from remdesivir manufacturer Gilead Sciences, was published today in Open Forum Infectious Diseases. (Van Beusekom, 9/22)

Jellyfish could be much smarter than scientists previously thought, asserts a new study published in the journal Current Biology. Poisonous Caribbean box jellyfish can learn at a far more complex level than ever imagined, despite only having 1,000 nerve cells and no centralized brain, according to new research from the University of Copenhagen. Scientists say their findings change the fundamental understanding of the brain — and could reveal more about human cognitive functions and the process of dementia. (Rudy, 9/24)